Martine Croxall, the BBC news anchor, is suing the corporation for age and sex discrimination after spending nearly a year off air.
The 55-year-old, who was previously taken off air after “gleefully” reacting to news Boris Johnson had pulled out of the Tory leadership race in 2022, last presented on the BBC News channel in March 2023.
Croxall and other colleagues were told to reapply for a small pool of chief presenter roles after it was announced that the corporation’s home and world news channels would be merged in April 2023.
She was one of five female presenters, all aged in their late 40s or 50s, who missed out. They were left without roles, although remained on full pay.
The others were Geeta Guru-Murthy, Annita McVeigh, Kasia Madera and Karin Giannone.
Guru-Murthy and McVeigh recently returned to work after other vacancies opened up.
Croxall’s case is listed at a central London employment tribunal on May 1, where she is suing for age discrimination, sex discrimination and equal pay.
It will be the highest-profile BBC tribunal since Samira Ahmed successfully sued the corporation over gender pay in 2020.
The presenters chosen for the coveted chief presenter roles were two men – Matthew Amroliwala and Christian Fraser – and three women: Yalda Hakim, 40, Maryam Moshiri, 46, and Lucy Hockings, 49.
Hakim has since defected to Sky News.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
